Government MPPs passed the bill that will retroactively exempt records of the premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants and their staff from FOI requests.

The Ford government has passed legislation to end the public’s ability to access the records of the premier and other top provincial government decision-makers.

Progressive Conservative MPPs voted on Thursday to pass Bill 97. The omnibus legislation enables plans announced in Premier Doug Ford’s government’s 2026 budget, along with rewriting the province’s records-access law.

Bill 97 is expected to soon receive the lieutenant-governor’s Royal Assent, to become law.

It will rewrite the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) to end the public’s ability to retrieve certain records of the premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants and staff in their offices with freedom of information requests (FOIs).

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[–] NarrativeBear@lemmy.world 42 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

URGENT: Write to the Lieutenant Governor demanding her withhold the FOI ban!

While Bill 97 passed, it still needs to receive Royal Assent, which the Lieutenant Governor does.

It may be worth contacting her.

Just copy/paste the message below to this link: https://lgontario.ca/en/connect/contact/

Feel free to do your own message if you prefer.

Your Honour,

I am an Ontario resident deeply concerned about the state of our democracy. I urge you to withhold consent of Bill 97 .

Our premier is making a law to stop him from complying with an order from the Court to hand over his phone records.

This is infringement on our rights as Canadians and taxpayers under the constitution.

Such shady changes to Freedom of Information should never receive Royal Assent.

I implore you to do the right thing for the people of Ontario, and do what is ethical and just and withhold this bill.

Kind regards,

[your name]

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 8 points 3 weeks ago

Good idea and thanks for the template!